The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-09-17
AN ENTeRpRIsINo LADY.
How Sine Utilized Her Housskee pin g
knowledge 10 Good Advantage.

How She Utilized Her Housekeeping
knowledge 10 Good Advantage.
A new industry for women il be-
ginning 10 evolve itself in New York.
which may yet do much toward solving
the vexed servant-girl question. Some
three months ago a woman Of good
old New York family. educated and
capable. left widow without money,
and having served no apprenticeship
10 any Of the industries by which
women earn bread and butter began
to think Of putting her pride in her
pocket and turning her notable house
keeping talents TO account by looking
for service in family as cook.
Con sidering the matter further, IL
occurred 10 her that she could do bet
ter Securing with some little effort.
the project being "A novel one, a client
age Of half n dozen families in her inn
mediate neighborhood that were groan-
ing under dyspepsia. induced by light
housekeeping" she began TO send out,
three times a day. delicately cooked
and daintily served meals. Her vent
ure was so Immediately successful
that she looked up n New England
housekeeper and a couple of stout
armed Swedish girls TO help her, and
her business sprang almost in a single
night, 10 the utmost dimensions that
she could handle. Families that had
tried the frizzled steak brOiled by the
green girl, families that were starving
on meals elaborated over the flicker
ing gas jet, families that had eaten
"table board in the basement dining
room around the corner, families whose
pocketbooks grOaned at the expense ci
the waiter load sent in from hotel or
restaurant, families whose heads were
business women without time for cook
ing. families tired Of the annoyance Of
servants in a small fiat. were glad 10
be supplied with home cooking, varied,
palatable and at reasonable price.
She has twcnty-one families on her
list at present, | think. to whom she
supplies just that wholesome round of
breakfasts, lunches and dinners that
the average house mother would offer
to husband and little folks. Fruit in
season, in the morning, oatmeal or
wheaton grits, fish, steak or chops; n
side dish, such as stewed kidneys, sau-
sage, liver and bacon. eggs; coffee, tea
or chocolate, bread and butter milk
and sugar. Soup, fish. roast, three
vegetables, dessert and coffee make up
the dinner, all Of which Is sent out at "A
cost of seven dollars week 10 single
person, five dollars each for members
of families, though what is supplied
for two is sufficient for three, the cost
per household is not reckoncd in
multiplcs of that sum. In way the
experiment is one of cooperative
housekeeping. for, practically, the
cost of everyday living is divided
among a number of families, purchases
for all being made together, the labor
for all systcmatized and simpliied, and
tho waste Of all minimized, the result
being that each family saves nearly
the full amount Of its cook wages,
and is freed from the tyranny of Castle
Garden besides.
Two other women, emulous Of the
first, talk of starting similar enter
priscs. The scheme is in its infancy,
but whenever q sufficient number of
families within radius of block or
two, as near the great fiat houses, can
be interested in it, it has promise Of an
opening for an industry for women
and of relief from divers perplexities
for the families they serve Eliza
Putnam Hcaton, IN BrOokiyn Times.